Toe and vamp liner for shoes



Nov. 21, 1939. A. T. PREwlTT 2,180,996

TOE AND VAMP LINER FOR SHOES original' Filed April 25,1958

ATTORN EYS.

Patented Nov. 2l, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application April 23, 1938, Serial-No. 203,786

Renewed October 10, '1939 4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in shoe attachments and has particular reference to a toe and vamp liner for shoes.

In my prior U. S. Letters Patent 1,965,431 granted July 3, 1934 in which I am joint inventor with William J. Prewitt, the invention related to a toe liner for shoes which only fitted into the toe box of a shoe to provide a smooth inner surface therein when the original lining becomes worn. I have since discovered that by providing pronounced rearwardly extending side wing portions on a toe liner of the shape set forth in my prior patent to provide a combined toe and vamp liner, that such a liner may be tted into new shoes as well as those in which the lining has become worn, to eliminate toe bites caused by the inward breaking of the shoe just rearward of the toe-box.

Another feature of the invention is the provi-l of waterproof fabric to prevent the moisture caused by perspiration of the foot from staining and weakening the leather of a shoe in the region of the toe box and vamp portion thereof, which weakening of the leather eventually results in cracking and breaking of the leather.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a combined toe and vamp liner for shoes which is constructed of a treated fabric material having sufficient resiliency to assume an arched position when inserted into position within a shoe to snugly conform to the inner surfaces thereof and to lockingly engage with the edges of the inner sole of the shoe to prevent accidental rearward shifting of the liner when withdrawing the foot from the shoe.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a combined toe and vamp liner for shoes which is constructed of a specially treated fabric material having the desired characteristics which is inexpensive and from which the liner may be die cut in rights and lefts.

A still further feature of the invention is the provision of a combined toe and vamp liner which may be correctly positioned within the shoe by one unskilled in shoe repair, whereby the user may himself from time to time, replace a worn or soiled liner by a new one without expense other than the cost of the liner.

Other features of the invention will be apparent as the following specification is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: A

Figure l is a side elevational view of a right shoe of the Oxford type with the forward portion n by the letter and the rearwardly extending shown in' vertical section and illustrating my combined toe and vamp liner in position therein.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the liner in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view 5 on the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

` Figure Llis a top plan view of the toe and vamp liner in normal at position.

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view on the line 5 5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of a modified form of material from which the toe and vamp liner may be constructed.

Figure 7 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View on the line 1 1 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified form of material from which the liner may be constructed.

Figure 9 is an enlarged vertical sectional view on the line 9 9 of Figure 8. 20

Figure 10 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view of a further modified form of material from which the liner may be constructed.

Referring to the drawing by reference characters, the numeral I0 designates the combined toe and vamp liner in its entirety which is constructed of a single blank of relatively thin stiff but eXible material and includes a main body portion I I having a front rounded edge I2, curved forward side edges I3, and straight rearwardly disposed side edges I4. The body II has a centrally disposed straight rear edge I5, and rearwardly extending outwardly diverging curved edges I6 and I'I which meet the side edges I4 at corners I8. The liner Il) illustrated in the drawingis intended for insertion into a right shoe, it being understood that the liners are made in rights and lefts. The'edge I1 is longer than the edge I6 to provide an outer wing extension I9 while the shorter edge I6 forms a short inner wing extension 20.

The length of the body II from the front edge I2 to the rear edge I5 is such as to extend from the forward part of the toe-box of a shoe to the point rearward of the toe box or just short of the rise of the shoe upper, whereas the `wing eX- tension I9 extends rearward in a shoe to a point beyond the little toe of a wearer. The short wing extension extends rearward within a shoe beyond the large toe of a wearer.

In Figure 4 of the drawing, I have illustrated a dotted line :v x drawn transversely through the body I I to show the dividing line between the forward toe-box liner portion which is referred to vamp liner portion designated B. The vamp portion B is preferably porous and in Figure 4, the same is shown with small perforations 2|. If desired, the body I I may be provided with notches 22 in the side edges to provide sharp corners which may act to more securely hold the liner in a shoe as will be hereinafter explained.

The material from which the liner I0 is constructed includes a starched fabric base 23, having its upper side coated with a layer of lacquer 2Q. The lacquer 24 imparts the desired stiffness and flexibility to the fabric base 23 necessary to support the liner in an arched position snug against the inner walls of a shoe. The lacquer also renders the fabric moisture proof fora purpose to be explained.

In Figures 1 to 3 of the drawing, have illustrated the toe and vamp liner I0 inserted in a shoe S of Oxford style. The normally fiat liner Iii is flexed transversely by the fingers of an operator and pushed forward ino the toe box T,

whereupon the edges I3 and I4 fit into the side grooves G formed between the sides of the insole and the adjacent portion of the walls of the shoe. When the liner is thus inserted, the vamp portionB extends rearward of the toe-box T to underlie the walls of the vamp region V of the shoe. By reason of the resiliency and flexibility of the material from which the liner is constructed, the same will snugly fit against the inner walls of the shoe, the body portion I I bridging the inside of the shoe in an arched position as clearly illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawing. Whereas the edges of the liner when seated in the side grooves G of the shoe act to prevent rearward shifting of the liner when removing the foot from the shoe, the pointed edges of the notches 22 `may cooperate therewith to more securely connect the liner and shoe.

The vamp portion B of the liner underlies that portion of the forward portion of a shoe where shoe bites are likely to occur and acts to relievev the pressure upon the foot of a wearer caused by such condition. The waterproof feature of the yliner prevents acid moisture from perspiring feet penetrating to the leather of the shoe and which results in weakening of the leather and the eventual cracking and breaking of the same at the point of natural bend of the shoe upper. The perforations 2| in the vamp portion V provide ventilation and a cooler liner in the vamp region of the shoe.

In Figures 6 and '7 of the drawing I have shown a modified form of material from which the liner iii may be constructed. Instead of constructing the liner of a single piece of relatively stiff but' flexible material having the same characteristics throughout its entire surface, I cut the hner from a strip of starched fabric 25 having its top portion coated with lacquer 26 in Vstrip form. The width of the lacquered portion of the strip is approximately equal to the length of the toe box of the shoe to provide a waterproof toe box liner portion A, while the unlacquered porous surface of the fabric strip forms the vamp portion B. The outline of the liner I0 is dotted in Figure 6 to clearly indicate the manner in which the liner may be cut from the strip to form' the relatively stiff but flexible waterproof toe box portion A and the porous vamp portion B.

Figures 8 and 9 of the drawing illustrate a further modified form of stiff but flexible material 2'! from which the liner Il] may be constructed. The' material 21 consists of a thinV starched fabric base 28 having its top surface coated with crossed strips of lacquer 29 which produces a checker board design. The lacquered strips impart suflicient resiliency to the fabric t0 impart to it the stiff flexible characteristics necessary to render the fabric self sustaining when flexed to arched position.

In Figure 10 of the drawing, I have shown a further modified form of material 30 which includes a starched fabric base 3| having its top surface coated with a combined waterproof and adhesive substance 32. The substance 32 imparts the necessary characteristics to the fabric and further causes the liner to adhesively adhere to the inside of a shoe when inserted into position A therein.

While I have shown and described various materials from which my combined toe box and vamp liner I0 may be constructed, I do not wish to be limited thereto, for any other material having the same characteristics may be used with satisfactory results.

By reason of the thinness and texture of the material from which the liner IIJ is constructed, the wearer of a shoe with the liner inserted therein will experience no uncomfortable feeling. Also, the liner may be inserted in new shoes as well as old shoes in which the toe lining has become worn, to relieve the pain of toe bites which are quite common in new shoes.

The toe and vamp liner Iii will be made in different sizes to fit into various size shoes. Should a liner be inserted into a shoe near the size for which it is constructed, the same may be readily adjusted by moving the liner forward or rearward within the shoe until the proper fit is obtained.

Having thus described the invention, what 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A removable liner for insertion into the toebox of a finished shoe comprising a thin relatively stiff but flexible body having a waterproof forward toe box portion adapted to be inserted into and snugly fit into the toe box of a shoe with the side edges thereof braced against the inner side of the shoe, and a porous vamp portion rearwardly of said toe box portion and adapted to line the vamp region of the inner surface of a shoe when the toe box portion is in position therein.

2. A removable liner for shoes comprising a shaped body constructed of a single blank of relatively stiif but flexible fabric material having a waterproof forward portion adapted to be inserted into the toe-box of a finished shoe and a rear porous portion of greater flexibility than said waterproof forward portion adapted to underlie the top and side walls of a shoe in the vamp region thereof.

3. A removable liner for shoes comprising a shaped body adapted to be inserted into a finished shoe to line the inner walls of the toe-box and vamp region thereof, said body being constructed of a normally fiat relatively stiff but flexible fabric material, whereby the fiat body may be flexed andinserted into a shoe with the side edges thereof seated against the walls of the shoe and adjacent edges of the insole to cause the body to assume a transversely arched position substantially flat against the arched lined inner walls of the shoe.

4. A removable liner for insertion into the toebox of a finished shoe comprising a shaped body of relatively stiff but flexible fabric material, said body having a frontv toe-box portion and a rear vamp portion and provided with curved side and forward edges, said body adapted to be flexed into arched position when manually inserted into the toe box of a shoe to line the Walls of the toe-box and vamp thereof, the rear vamp portion including inner and outer wing portions aty the juncture of therear edge of said body and the curved side-edges and extending rearwardly for a distance to ine the Walls of the inner and outer sides of the vamp theroef, said vamp portion being more flexible than the toe box portion of said body.

ARTHUR T. PREW'ITT. 

